Cultivator



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet '1.

E. CASE.

- GULTIVATOR. No. 394,334. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

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OULTIVATOR.

No. 394,334. 7 Patented Dec. 11, 1888 WI TWESSES N R,

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CULTIVATOR.

(No Model.)

No. 394,334. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

.IJVVEJVTOR Attorney.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E. CASE.

, GULTIVATOR. No. 394,384. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

EDVIN CASE, OF IRONVILLE, OHIO.

CU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,334, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed February 1'7, 1888. Serial No. 264,333. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN (.ASE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ironville, county of Lucas, State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in (ultivators; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the tions met within the growing of corn, potatoes, beans, peas, and the like.

art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of the combinations of devices and appliances hereinafter specified, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figi'ire 1 is a view in perspective of a. cultivator embodying iny invention. Fig. 2 a separate view of the clamping mechanism for clamping the traces I). Fig. 3 is a separate view of my side-wing attachment for working close to the hill. Fig. 4 is a separate view illustrating my 11 alf-hiller hoe attachment. Fig. 5 presents separate detail views of the adjustable attaclnnent for my cultivator-teeth, hoes, and other attachments. Fig. 6 is a rear view of my cultivator, illustrating the hillers or coverers attached thereto. '7 is a separate view illustrating my improved rake for cultivating 011 top of the rows, either before the sprouts appear above the ground or afterward, while they are yet small, and illustrating also my clod-detlecto1x Fig. 8 presents in side elevation my top-lifting attachment, my half-hiller hoe soil-gage, and leveler. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8, together with my clod-fender attachment, designed to engage clods, cornstalk-stubs, &c., away from the half-hiller hoe. Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of my improved potato-bug attachment. Fig. 11 a plan 'view of. the potato-bug attachment. Fig. 12 is a sectional view in the line of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a plan view illustrating how the cultivator may be connected with a side draft.

It is the purpose of my invention to produce a cultivator which shall be susceptible of a variety of adjustments, and in connection therewith a series of attachments, whereby the device is adapted for the various condi- ,lo this end the invention relates, first, to the particular construction of the cultivator proper and its frame, whcrcby its wings may be adjusted in or out and clamped in any particular position; second, in means for bracing the said wings from the handles after they have been set to any desired adjustment; third, in novel mechanism whereby my hoes or other attachments are rendered capable of adjustment either about a vertical axis or about a horizontal axis located between the supporting-framc and the ground; fourth, in the provision of a sideqving attachment for the rear hoes, which projects outward there from toward the plants, whereby a small amount of soil may be crowded close among the plants; fifth, in the provision of hillers for covering a row which is straddled by the cultivator, or for billing the same row after the plants have started; sixth, in the provision of a half-hiller attaclnnent designed to project from its support outward from the cultivator, the same being adjustable about a horizontal axis for giving to it a greater or less angle, and so correspond wit-h a deeper or shallower hill; seventh, in the provision of a raker designed for cultivating upon the top of a row either before or after the plants have started, said raker being provided with adj ust ments whereby it. maybe rotated so as to pro j ect farther forward or straighter out from the machine, and also whereby the rake-teeth may be tilted up or down to conform to the surface to be raked or cultivated; eighth, in the provision of a top-lifting attachment designed for connection with one of the hoe-standards in such manner that its point shall travel beneath the surface and so engage all of the prostrate tops, and a wing or share whereby the tops are straightened up, and in connection therewith a half-hillcr hoe adjusted back of the top-lifter and farther from the row, said hoe being adapted to throw in soil to support the lifted plants; also, a soil-gage made to extend from the top-lifter back past the hoe, with a vertical adjustable blade for gaging the amount of soil thatmaybe thrown against the plant by the hoe, and also a leveler attachment located. back of the soi1gage, and

likewise provided with avert-ical adjustable blade for leveling off to any desired surface the soil between the rows, the same being hinged to the soil-gage; ninth, in the provision of a clod-fender for engaging the clods and cornstalk-stubs, &c., and shifting them out of the way of the half-hiller hoe; tenth, also, in the provision of a side draft whereby the cultivator may be caused to travel astride of a row of growing plants, and the same be drawn by a single horse traveling between the rows; eleventh, in the provision of a potato-bug attachment for knocking the bugs from the vines and catching them in a receiver.

In carrying out my invention A is a cultivator-beam. B are its handles; C,thehandlebraces.

D represent the side wings, which bear the cultivator-hoes, although the forward hoes may be and preferably are so attached directly to the beam.

E represents the cultivatorhoes. They may be of any desired shape, although the L shape shown in the drawings is preferable.

The wings D are hinged at (l (1. They are also braced and connected with the beam by the straight braces D. Each of these braces is pivoted at its wing end to the said wing near the lower edge of the wing, as shown at (1 The braces D pass through a clevis, D which clevis is clamped upon the braces by means of a clamp-screw, D". These clevises pass through elongated slots A in the beam, so that as the wings are expanded or contracted the straight braces D may readily findtheir new position, the said clevises shifting longitudinally in the slots A to accommo date the same.

Each hoe E is connected with a standard, E, which has an attachment about its vertical stem as an axis, and may be engaged and held firmly in any position to which it may be adjusted by the serrations e at its top engaging corresponding serrations upon the frame, as shown more particularly in detail in Figs. 2% and 5. The hoe E is likewise adjustable about the horizontal bolt 3 as an axis, and the upper end of the upright arm of each hoe is provided with serrations 6 which engage corresponding serrations upon the standard E, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5.

F represents hilling attachments. I They may be, as shownin Fig. 6, adjusted so as to throw the soil toward the center and so, serve to cover, or hilla row straddled by the cultivator, or they may be turned to an angle, so that when the horse travels between the rows the soil may be thrown out at each side against two adjacent rows. Each hiller attachment has an upright, F,which is adapted for attachment to the ordinary hoe-standards E, and each, hiller-standard F has similar serrations. at its top, so that it may when thus connected to the standards E be adjusted either-about a vertical axis or inclined about the horizontal axis a.

G is a half-hiller attachment. This is designed for attachment to the rear hoe-standards, so as to throw the pulverized soil up against or adjacent to the plants, and the same is made adjustable in like manner with the hoes and hillers just described. It may therefore be adjusted so as to extend out from the machine at any desired angle, and may be also given any pitch corresponding with the desired slope of the adjacent hills or row. This half-hiller blade is concaved, so that its lower edge shall project out into nearly a horizontal position. Its standard is likewise curved at g to correspond with and support this curved blade.

II is my top-lifting attachment.

l'leretofore top-lifting attachments have been made to travel near to the ground and to gather up and shift the tops and straighten up the plants; but should any plant be prostrated very close to the ground the top-lifter was apt to ride over the same and so not only fail to lift it but was apt to cover in and injure it.

My top-lifter has a shank, h, whereby it may be attached to the hoe-standard by the bolt 6 The point h may be thus adjusted and set by the said bolt in a position that the point shall travel just beneath the surface of the ground, and so be sure to catch and lift all of the prostrate tops. The share 72 then serves to lift up and straighten the tops and throw them over toward the middle of the row. Immediately back of this top-lifter is what I term a soil-gage, K. This soil-gage at its forward end is connected with the same standard to which the top-lifter is attached, and serves as a continuation of its share 72 The rear end of the soil-gage is connected with the outrigger K attached to the frame adjacent to the rear hoe-standard. It has, an adjustable arm, 71: whereby the soil-gage may be set to any desired point. Vhen using this top-lifter and soil-gage the wings D are adjusted into the position shown in plan view in Fig. 9, so that the rear hoe-standards shall be set in toward the cultivatoi beam A. I then attach to the rear hoe-standards the half-hill er hoes G, giving to the same an adjustment such as is shown in Fig. 9, so as to scrape up the soil and throw it toward the stems of the plants that have been lifted. Now, toregulate the amount of soil that is thrown against the stems, I provide the soil-gage K with a vertically-adjustable blade, K, so that by raising or lowering. this blade K the opening beneath will be made more or less, and this will determine the amount of soil that can be thrown against the stems of the plants. So, also, when using the top-lifter I usually em,- ploy what I term a leveler, L. This is hinged to the rear of the soil-gage and projeets backward therefrom. It is provided with a vertical adjustable blade, L, which may be raised or lowered or, tilted downward at either end, so as to scrape off and level the soil thrown up by the half-hiller and spread IIO the same toward the center of the space between the rows. This leveler L is sustained in any desired position by an adjustable arm, I whichis connected withv therear extremity of the frame.

J is what I term a clod-fender, as shown in Fig. 9. I usually employ it when using the top-lifter for the purpose of drawing in clods or cornstalk stubs, &c., out of the way of the half-hiller hoe, so that the half-hiller hoe may not be impaired thereby.

M represents the bug-catcher, and M the agitating-arms of my potato-bug attachment.

' bound.

The receptacle M is connected by arms m to the cultivator-beam or other convenient support. If connected with the cultivator-beam, they may pass through the clips I) and be se cured thereby. So also the agitating-arms M may likewise be secured by the same clips. Between the arms M are strips, preferably of hoop-iron, M which are bent into ratchetform and inclined from their forward ends backward toward the bug-catcller, and they are provided at one extremity with slots and set-screw n1 whereby they may be bowed in more or less toward the bug-catcher to any extent that may be desired.

M is a shield of canvas, leather, or other suitable material. It is connected in any convenient way between the arms M and the bug-catcher M. In order to rid the plants of bugs, the cultivator is drawn through the rows. The bushy tops of the plants are engaged by the arms M and are deflected in toward the bug-catcher. Then as they ride past the ratchets m the vines are agitated and the bugs shaken otf into the receptacle M. This receptacle may contain carbon-oil or other liquid.

N re in-esents my rak er attachm ent,d esign ed for pulverizing or raking the surface along the tops or sides of the rows, and it may be employed either before the plant appear or after they appear and while they are yet small, for in that event they will pass through between the rake-teeth. These rak.eteeth will serve to rake up and destroy weeds and will clear the rows of clods and other foreign matter.

The raker attachment is provided at its heel with a ring, '21, whereby it maybe secured between a hoestandard, E, and, the adjacent frame or wing D, in which position it is firmly It may, however, be adjusted so as to extend out at any angle from the cultivator. So, also, the rake proper, N, is connected to the arm N by rods 11' and set-screw 91 thus prowiding means whereby the rake may be tilted up or down at either end and fastened in any position to which it may be adjusted. By projecting the raker attachment well forward the teeth will operate along lines which are closer together, and this inclination of the raker will serve to deflect clods or cornstalk-stubs back between the rows. Usually when employing this raker I prefer to employ a clod-scraper, P, as shown in Fig. 7.

This serves to still further deflect any clods or other matter which may be deflected by the rake and direct the same farther in between the rows. \Vhen this cultivator is designed to straddle the row, and in that condition designed to cover the hill or said row, it is desirable that the horse should travel at the side of the row that is being covered, so as not to trample upon the seeds or plants in the row. To this end I provide a side draft, as follows: I connect the team so that it shall, as shown in Fig. 13, draw from a point, Q, near the rear of the (ailtivat'or-beam, and I loosely engage the cultivator to the draftchain at or near the point (2., so as to hold the forward end of the cultivator up to a uniform level. I then connect the forward extremity of the cultivator-bcam with thedraftchain by a connection, Q which prevents the forward end of the cultivator from being dcflected too far away from the line of draft. In thus using the cultivator the forward hoes which are attached to the beam are removed, so as not to interfere with the row of seeds or plants. So, also, the next adjacent hoes are usually turned with their blades projecting to the rear and are tilted slightly, so that their heels stand higher than their rear extremi ties, thus serving as runners, which lighten the draft of the implement and cause it to move along freely without engaging too deep in the .soil. The implement when used in this way with the side draft is very readily governed by the handles from the rear, and any vibration of the forward end of the beam is immaterial, because the work is done by the attachments at the rear of the machine, where the said vibrations are scarcely noticeable.

R is what I term a side hoe. It is designed. for attachment to the outside of the rear hoe-standard, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Its purpose is to enable the operator to work very closely to the plants, and this side hoe simply serves to throw a small amount of soil close to the plant, and closer than it would be safe to run with the cultivator-hocs. This may be adjusted up or down, so as to throw more or less soil, and it may also be tilted more or less. It is thus seen that this implement is designed to meet all of. the contingencies which are connected with the cultivation of cropssucl1 as potatoes, beans, peas, and the like-and is at once simple, inexpensive and substantial.

(3 represents braces which project from the handles to the wings I), and, as the wings are adjusted toward or from the cultivator-beam, these braces maybe lengthened or shortened to correspond by means of the turn-buckles (3, thus leaving them thoroughly braced from the handles, no matter what may be the position of the wings D.

\Yhat I claim is- 1. In a cultivator, the combination, with the 'beam A, provided with elongated slots, of jointed wings D, pivotally connected to the beam, and parallel braces D, pivoted to said wings and at right angles to the beam, the clips D passing through the elongated slots in the beam and embracing the parallel braces .D, and clamping-screws D for clamping the said braces to the beam, substantially as described.

2. In a cultivator, the combination, with standards E, made adjustable about a vertical pivot, of a cultivator attachment, the upright arm of which is engaged therewith by a single horizontal bolt about which it maybe tilted, the upper end of said arm provided with serrations adapted to engage corresponding serrations upon the standard E, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a cultivator, the combination, with standards E, of a cultivator attachment having its upright arm engaged therewith, substantially as described, and carrying on its horizontal portion a concaved blade, G, and side hoe, R, substantially as described.

4:. In a cultivator, the combination, with a top lifter, H, adj ustably supported and adapted to travel just beneath the soil, of the soil-gage K, vertically-adjustable blade K, leveler L, located just beyond said gage, halfhiller G, and clod-fender J, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a cultivator, of the raker attachment for raking the top of the row, the extremity of said raker adjust-able forward and backward about its support, and the rake itself adj ustable up or down at either end, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with a cultivator, of the raker attachment and clod-scraper P, said scraper serving to deflect between the rows clods, stalks, &c., that may be thrown aside by the rake, substantially as described.

7 The combination, with a cultivator, of a potato-bug attachment, the same consisting of a bug-receptacle, M, and deflecting. and agitating arms M M substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a cultivator, of a draft trace or chain secured to the cultivator near the rear end of its beam so as to draw therefrom in a direct line and loosely engaged to the forward end of the cultivator, and the trace or chain Q engaging the forward end of the draft trace or chain and having its other end secured to the forward end of the cultivator-beam, substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

ED\VIN CASE.

Vitnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, SAMUEL E. THOMAS. 

